so I’m here today to talk to you about costume I’ve been working with costume
costume I’ve been working with costume
costume I’ve been working with costume for over a decade now various different
for over a decade now various different
for over a decade now various different forms theater dance Fringe opera which
forms theater dance Fringe opera which
forms theater dance Fringe opera which was interesting but I’m here today to
was interesting but I’m here today to
was interesting but I’m here today to talk to you about a different kind of
talk to you about a different kind of
talk to you about a different kind of practice a self-driven practice and more
practice a self-driven practice and more
practice a self-driven practice and more experimental practice that I’ve been
experimental practice that I’ve been
experimental practice that I’ve been developing through my research my
developing through my research my
developing through my research my practice is research that’s central I’ve
practice is research that’s central I’ve
practice is research that’s central I’ve had the opportunity to be able to
had the opportunity to be able to
had the opportunity to be able to explore costume which doesn’t have to
explore costume which doesn’t have to
explore costume which doesn’t have to respond necessarily to the dictates of a
respond necessarily to the dictates of a
respond necessarily to the dictates of a director of a choreographer because
director of a choreographer because
director of a choreographer because quite often within performance in
quite often within performance in
quite often within performance in costume
costume
costume the production model can be very
the production model can be very
the production model can be very hierarchical and creatively speaking
hierarchical and creatively speaking
hierarchical and creatively speaking costume is quite often seen as serving
costume is quite often seen as serving
costume is quite often seen as serving the vision of the director or the
the vision of the director or the
the vision of the director or the choreographer the creative man normally
choreographer the creative man normally
choreographer the creative man normally on top what I’ve been exploring is a
on top what I’ve been exploring is a
on top what I’ve been exploring is a mode of costume a form of costumers
mode of costume a form of costumers
mode of costume a form of costumers artistic practice as opposed to autistic
artistic practice as opposed to autistic
artistic practice as opposed to autistic facilitation and I would argue that
facilitation and I would argue that
facilitation and I would argue that that’s that’s quite queer that’s quite
that’s that’s quite queer that’s quite
that’s that’s quite queer that’s quite disruptive and that’s something that I
disruptive and that’s something that I
disruptive and that’s something that I want to explore more and that’s
want to explore more and that’s
want to explore more and that’s something I want to invite others to
something I want to invite others to
something I want to invite others to explore with me so in a standard
explore with me so in a standard
explore with me so in a standard production most of the production’s I’ve
production most of the production’s I’ve
production most of the production’s I’ve worked in as a costume professional I
worked in as a costume professional I
worked in as a costume professional I will be commissioned to do a number of
will be commissioned to do a number of
will be commissioned to do a number of costumes for a production I’ll have a
costumes for a production I’ll have a
costumes for a production I’ll have a production brief I’ll be told you know
production brief I’ll be told you know
production brief I’ll be told you know your costume this this isn’t this thank
your costume this this isn’t this thank
your costume this this isn’t this thank you very much
you very much
you very much go away make a list of the different
go away make a list of the different
go away make a list of the different attributes that I need to be able to
attributes that I need to be able to
attributes that I need to be able to communicate about each character that’s
communicate about each character that’s
communicate about each character that’s pretty standard practice that’s the
pretty standard practice that’s the
pretty standard practice that’s the first thing you’ll do you’ll take your
first thing you’ll do you’ll take your
first thing you’ll do you’ll take your text away or certainly that’s how I’ve
text away or certainly that’s how I’ve
text away or certainly that’s how I’ve been instructed and how I do it how a
been instructed and how I do it how a
been instructed and how I do it how a lot of my contemporaries do it you
lot of my contemporaries do it you
lot of my contemporaries do it you it takes away you analyze your text you
it takes away you analyze your text you
it takes away you analyze your text you pull out notion the empirical facts
pull out notion the empirical facts
pull out notion the empirical facts about each character from your textual
about each character from your textual
about each character from your textual analysis and you know you interweave
analysis and you know you interweave
analysis and you know you interweave that with other aspects stylistic
that with other aspects stylistic
that with other aspects stylistic elements different thematic vents but
elements different thematic vents but
elements different thematic vents but ultimately the question that drives a
ultimately the question that drives a
ultimately the question that drives a lot of costume design and development
lot of costume design and development
lot of costume design and development certainly my experience and from what
certainly my experience and from what
certainly my experience and from what I’ve observed in the work of others is a
I’ve observed in the work of others is a
I’ve observed in the work of others is a question of who is this person who is
question of who is this person who is
question of who is this person who is this character I want to like you that
this character I want to like you that
this character I want to like you that that’s a question is that a question
that’s a question is that a question
that’s a question is that a question anyone can really answer are we ever one
anyone can really answer are we ever one
anyone can really answer are we ever one person are we ever the same person even
person are we ever the same person even
person are we ever the same person even from one day for the next if you could
from one day for the next if you could
from one day for the next if you could give representation of yourself you know
give representation of yourself you know
give representation of yourself you know as we do every day we get dressed we
as we do every day we get dressed we
as we do every day we get dressed we decide what we’re gonna wear you know
decide what we’re gonna wear you know
decide what we’re gonna wear you know how we’re going to present ourselves if
how we’re going to present ourselves if
how we’re going to present ourselves if a costume designer were to take a
a costume designer were to take a
a costume designer were to take a biography of your life would they dress
biography of your life would they dress
biography of your life would they dress you the way that you’re dressed I don’t
you the way that you’re dressed I don’t
you the way that you’re dressed I don’t know what would that say about you how
know what would that say about you how
know what would that say about you how would you feel about that there’s
would you feel about that there’s
would you feel about that there’s there’s a kind of objectification to it
there’s a kind of objectification to it
there’s a kind of objectification to it what I want to propose is a mode of
what I want to propose is a mode of
what I want to propose is a mode of costume practice which displaces or
costume practice which displaces or
costume practice which displaces or dissenters this sort of universalizing
dissenters this sort of universalizing
dissenters this sort of universalizing view of what the language of clothing
view of what the language of clothing
view of what the language of clothing should be there is a language of
should be there is a language of
should be there is a language of clothing we do have languages of
clothing we do have languages of
clothing we do have languages of clothing that language has different
clothing that language has different
clothing that language has different syntax and and you know different
syntax and and you know different
syntax and and you know different articulations in different places
articulations in different places
articulations in different places different times there are languages of
different times there are languages of
different times there are languages of clothing but they’re not universal
clothing but they’re not universal
clothing but they’re not universal they’re positional their subjective but
they’re positional their subjective but
they’re positional their subjective but with the growth of screen media
with the growth of screen media
with the growth of screen media especially we’re seeing a lot of costume
especially we’re seeing a lot of costume
especially we’re seeing a lot of costume design which is trying to appeal to a
design which is trying to appeal to a
design which is trying to appeal to a broad palette a broad notion of
broad palette a broad notion of
broad palette a broad notion of what different types of people should
what different types of people should
what different types of people should look like and clothes do that they sort
look like and clothes do that they sort
look like and clothes do that they sort of facilitate and encourage an approach
of facilitate and encourage an approach
of facilitate and encourage an approach to other individuals other human beings
to other individuals other human beings
to other individuals other human beings where we might look at them and make
where we might look at them and make
where we might look at them and make snap judgments you know the first
snap judgments you know the first
snap judgments you know the first impression they say is really important
impression they say is really important
impression they say is really important and it is and so much of that is based
and it is and so much of that is based
and it is and so much of that is based on clothing and that’s one reason why
on clothing and that’s one reason why
on clothing and that’s one reason why costume is so important you know we’re
costume is so important you know we’re
costume is so important you know we’re representing identities but what if we
representing identities but what if we
representing identities but what if we explore a form of costume that doesn’t
explore a form of costume that doesn’t
explore a form of costume that doesn’t necessarily have to represent identities
necessarily have to represent identities
necessarily have to represent identities what if we explore a mode of costume
what if we explore a mode of costume
what if we explore a mode of costume which looks at the subjective
which looks at the subjective
which looks at the subjective positionality the experience the haptic
positionality the experience the haptic
positionality the experience the haptic qualities the moments of exchange the
qualities the moments of exchange the
qualities the moments of exchange the electricity between individuals as a
electricity between individuals as a
electricity between individuals as a mode of narrative interpretation do we
mode of narrative interpretation do we
mode of narrative interpretation do we always have to take a test and clear
always have to take a test and clear
always have to take a test and clear apart into modular aspects of identity
apart into modular aspects of identity
apart into modular aspects of identity determined according to the the politics
determined according to the the politics
determined according to the the politics of the day essentially the dominant
of the day essentially the dominant
of the day essentially the dominant politics of the day and those are always
politics of the day and those are always
politics of the day and those are always going to be those are always going to be
going to be those are always going to be
going to be those are always going to be positional they’re going to be
positional they’re going to be
positional they’re going to be subjective how we represent middle class
subjective how we represent middle class
subjective how we represent middle class working white woman in in Sussex where I
working white woman in in Sussex where I
working white woman in in Sussex where I live it’s gonna look quite different to
live it’s gonna look quite different to
live it’s gonna look quite different to middle-class working women working women
middle-class working women working women
middle-class working women working women in South Africa maybe you know it is
in South Africa maybe you know it is
in South Africa maybe you know it is there are geographical variations but so
there are geographical variations but so
there are geographical variations but so much at the time costume clothing the
much at the time costume clothing the
much at the time costume clothing the way that we pull these characters apart
is entirely is is in entirely subjective
is entirely is is in entirely subjective what I want to propose is a model of
what I want to propose is a model of
what I want to propose is a model of costume which shows that subjectivity
costume which shows that subjectivity
costume which shows that subjectivity which owns costume as an artistic
which owns costume as an artistic
which owns costume as an artistic creative practice an expressionistic
creative practice an expressionistic
creative practice an expressionistic form of costume practice it wants to be
form of costume practice it wants to be
form of costume practice it wants to be making snap judgments about people we’ve
making snap judgments about people we’ve
making snap judgments about people we’ve never met we don’t know why would we
never met we don’t know why would we
never met we don’t know why would we want to do that maybe to sell movies I
want to do that maybe to sell movies I
want to do that maybe to sell movies I don’t know but there’s so much room for
don’t know but there’s so much room for
don’t know but there’s so much room for expansion for development of different
expansion for development of different
expansion for development of different forms of costume different forms of
forms of costume different forms of
forms of costume different forms of artistic practice yes naturalism is
artistic practice yes naturalism is
artistic practice yes naturalism is dominant now does it have to be does it
dominant now does it have to be does it
dominant now does it have to be does it have to stay doubling can we challenge
have to stay doubling can we challenge
have to stay doubling can we challenge that can we have a resurgence of
that can we have a resurgence of
that can we have a resurgence of Expressionism might be fun that’s
Expressionism might be fun that’s
Expressionism might be fun that’s largely why I’m here today to ask you
largely why I’m here today to ask you
largely why I’m here today to ask you you to join me in a surge of
you to join me in a surge of
you to join me in a surge of Expressionism forget forget purports to
Expressionism forget forget purports to
Expressionism forget forget purports to reality reality is wherever you are
reality reality is wherever you are
reality reality is wherever you are that’s your reality it’s not my reality
that’s your reality it’s not my reality
that’s your reality it’s not my reality so here today as a costume practitioner
so here today as a costume practitioner
so here today as a costume practitioner I want to say and as a costume
I want to say and as a costume
I want to say and as a costume practitioner who and an individual who’s
practitioner who and an individual who’s
practitioner who and an individual who’s often been marginalized by these
often been marginalized by these
often been marginalized by these normative standards these standards at
normative standards these standards at
normative standards these standards at the norm you know what’s normal you know
the norm you know what’s normal you know
the norm you know what’s normal you know we think about these things as common
we think about these things as common
we think about these things as common sense but what’s common what’s normal
sense but what’s common what’s normal
sense but what’s common what’s normal where does that leave the rest of us who
where does that leave the rest of us who
where does that leave the rest of us who are the rest of us what’s one what’s the
are the rest of us what’s one what’s the
are the rest of us what’s one what’s the other if we start to eat if we start to
other if we start to eat if we start to
other if we start to eat if we start to explore an embrace costume as an
explore an embrace costume as an
explore an embrace costume as an expressive medium we can start to
expressive medium we can start to
expressive medium we can start to explore different pleasures different
explore different pleasures different
explore different pleasures different perspectives different modes of
perspectives different modes of
perspectives different modes of expression and I think that’s exciting I
expression and I think that’s exciting I
expression and I think that’s exciting I think that’s really exciting I mean just
think that’s really exciting I mean just
think that’s really exciting I mean just look for example with the way that
look for example with the way that
look for example with the way that people of color have been represented in
people of color have been represented in
people of color have been represented in performance throughout history through
performance throughout history through
performance throughout history through costume it’s appalling women gay people
costume it’s appalling women gay people
costume it’s appalling women gay people transgender people people are faithful
transgender people people are faithful
transgender people people are faithful even you know let’s make a change let’s
even you know let’s make a change let’s
even you know let’s make a change let’s try and do performance in a way that
try and do performance in a way that
try and do performance in a way that okay we can’t leave those politics
okay we can’t leave those politics
okay we can’t leave those politics behind we can’t leave them behind
behind we can’t leave them behind
behind we can’t leave them behind they’re a part of our world but isn’t it
they’re a part of our world but isn’t it
they’re a part of our world but isn’t it worth trying to explore a kind of
worth trying to explore a kind of
worth trying to explore a kind of Expressionism which can maybe if not
Expressionism which can maybe if not
Expressionism which can maybe if not transcends then transgress those
transcends then transgress those
transcends then transgress those iniquities so
well I’d like to ask you here today yeah
well I’d like to ask you here today yeah be you performance makers be you you
be you performance makers be you you
be you performance makers be you you know be theatergoers be you people on
know be theatergoers be you people on
know be theatergoers be you people on the internet you have found yourself in
the internet you have found yourself in
the internet you have found yourself in a very strange place indeed I want to
a very strange place indeed I want to
a very strange place indeed I want to ask you engage with costume as to its
ask you engage with costume as to its
ask you engage with costume as to its full potential there’s so much there
full potential there’s so much there
full potential there’s so much there there’s so much that it is it is the
there’s so much that it is it is the
there’s so much that it is it is the material medium between the body the
material medium between the body the
material medium between the body the spaces around and and between bodies as
spaces around and and between bodies as
spaces around and and between bodies as well it doesn’t have to be so following
well it doesn’t have to be so following
well it doesn’t have to be so following a centric it doesn’t have to be visual
a centric it doesn’t have to be visual
a centric it doesn’t have to be visual tick-box
tick-box
tick-box of what kind of person this is why can’t
of what kind of person this is why can’t
of what kind of person this is why can’t it be an expression of the electricity
it be an expression of the electricity
it be an expression of the electricity between people that’s by the feeling
between people that’s by the feeling
between people that’s by the feeling that anguish why can’t we approach
that anguish why can’t we approach
that anguish why can’t we approach costume as a sculptural and and and
costume as a sculptural and and and
costume as a sculptural and and and tactile and feeling medium does it have
tactile and feeling medium does it have
tactile and feeling medium does it have to be about words or can it be about
to be about words or can it be about
to be about words or can it be about feelings can it be about things which
feelings can it be about things which
feelings can it be about things which are maybe more than words which can be
are maybe more than words which can be
are maybe more than words which can be expressed to words if you can treat
expressed to words if you can treat
expressed to words if you can treat costume as a form of three-dimensional
costume as a form of three-dimensional
costume as a form of three-dimensional art or even 4 dimensional art how much
art or even 4 dimensional art how much
art or even 4 dimensional art how much more worth can we bring to it thank you
more worth can we bring to it thank you
more worth can we bring to it thank you very much
very much
very much [Applause]
”
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